In Denmark, the DR Girls'Choir, a female choir run by the Danish public broadcasting service - Danmarks Radio (DR) - is facing a wave of accusations of sexual assault.
As reported by the Danish press agency
Ritzaus
, relayed by Radio Classique, an external investigation, carried out by a so-called independent law firm, reports 64 cases of harassment and sexual abuse - including rape - by six adults, formerly employed by the musical ensemble.
The alleged facts took place between 2000 and 2010.
Read alsoSexual assault: the Paris Music Conservatory in the turmoil of investigations
In all, the lawyers heard from 129 singers.
Only seventeen of them declared that they had not been victims or witnesses of inappropriate behavior.
The others, on the other hand, reported "
touching in intimate places, involuntary kisses, others forced, attempted caresses and behavior of an even more violent nature"
.
Most of the events would have taken place while composer Michael Bojesen conducted the choir, between 2001 and 2010.
A fired radio employee
In June, the Danish daily
Politiken
relayed the accusations of twelve former choristers accusing the musician of having covered a “
sexualized”
climate
within the musical ensemble. Bojesen admitted at the time that he did not take seriously the accusations of a 17-year-old girl, who had been pressured to withdraw her complaint.
In a statement, the conductor admitted having failed in his mission and offered "
his sincere apologies to the singers who had bad experiences or felt insecure during their stay in the choir". “I had full responsibility for running the choir, and I failed. It hurts me incredibly ”
, he wrote. In the wake of these allegations, Bojesen tendered his resignation from his post as president of the
Statens Kunstfund
[Government-funded Arts Council,
Editor's note
] he had held since 2018.
In addition to the six people implicated by the testimonies, a current employee of the Danish radio station (who however no longer worked for the choir), was also laid off, according to
Radio Classique
.
The management of the DR, for its part, apologized to the alleged victims.
Its managing director, Maria Rørbye Rønn, described
the actions denounced as
“unacceptable”
.
“What has been described is impressive and reveals a dark chapter in the history of Danmarks Radio.
We take full responsibility for this failure, even if it is another era, ”
she declared at a press conference on November 10.
Read also Jean-Luc Lahaye and his daughter placed in police custody, suspected of rape of minors and complicity
The DR Girls'Choir was founded in 1938 and has around fifty singers aged 16 to 22.
The all-female choir is considered one of the best ensembles in the world and performs all over the world.
Sponsored by Princess Mary, wife of Prince Frederik, heir to the Danish throne, he was chosen to represent Danish culture at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
